Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Have had so little time at the machine the last month. Slowly finding my sew while homeschooling groove. I've been trying to be really good about not buying fabric, not starting new projects, and working on what I already have started. I will probably start a baby quilt this week.

Projects To Be Blogged

Crazy Clown Colors Quilt

Halloween Table Runner

Binding

Halloween Quilt

Valentine's Day Table Runner

Sunday Picnic Quilt

Repro Quilt (finished quilting this week! Looking good!)

Basting/Quilting

Pinwheel Quilt

M's Quilt

Carpenter Star Quilt (need to make a backing)

Wonky Pink Quilt

Cut and Piece Stage

Ticker Tape Quilt

Green Squares Quilts x2

Sew-In Quilt

Scrappy Placemats - might make these in to mug rugs for gifts...

Penny Lane Quilt

Under the Sea Quilt

Non-Quilt Sewing Projects

Kids' Xmas gifts (this is a priority the next few weeks)

Need To Make Some Decisions

Habitat Challenge #1 & #2 - Will make these quilt backs... going to back burner

Jack's Quilt - Going to make Jack a new quilt and make this a companion quilt for his upper bunk. Will back both quilts with the same material.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Outside my window... kids are jumping on the trampoline with a neighbor's granddaughter; chickens, cats and dog are all watching. Lovely overcast day.

I am thinking... that today is my last day in my 30's. Sad, yet not. Amazing how fast time marches forward.

I am thankful for... every birthday I've had. As Miss D says, "Having a birthday is better than the alternative!"

From the kitchen... there is a cake just coming out of the oven that the kids are hiding from me and that I am oblivious to. Made lasagna over the weekend. One for dinner, five for the freezer. Will probably make sweet potato and black bean enchiladas this week and maybe some more sweet potato soup.

I am creating... some quilts that I'd like to have done by Christmas. One is on the machine being quilted (almost done!), and Kate's is on the design board (waiting on a few other fabrics to arrive in the mail)

I am going... to be 40 tomorrow! (And I can't stop telling people!)

I am reading... nothing of my own right now (I've been on a podcast kick), but the kids and I are working through The Secret Garden.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

My sister was in Colorado for 2 weeks, and we loved having her around so much. Embarrassingly, I took very few photos while she was here. Maybe because we were too busy having fun.

This past weekend, we took our camper up to Uncle Mark's place on the mighty Colorado River. The trip was too short, but we sure did a lot - a little help in the workshop, high country drive in the Polaris with amazing Aspen views, family float trip (with Nina Sprinkles!) down the Colorado, kayak practice in the boat Uncle Mark made for the kids, dinner with more extended family, and target practice with BB guns.

Helping in the workshop

Kayak practice

Too big!

Bullseye!

Photos from our float trip are with Uncle Mark. Hopefully I can share those soon.

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Homeschooling is still going really well. I finally figured out that I need to present new information for most of our basic subjects first thing in the morning and then leave the kids with a list of work to do. This is great for a number of reasons - 1) Although I'm available for questions, it leaves me with a bigger chunk of time to get things done around the house. 2) It motivates the kids to get their work done and not lollygag. 3) It encourages independent learning. 4) The kids sometimes go to each other for help instead of me. 4) There is less struggle to get the work done.

Sometimes I feel like all I do is feed things all day - the kids, the dog, the cats, the hedgehog, the fish, the chickens... even the sourdough starter! Admittedly, I usually delegate out the feeding jobs (except for the sourdough starter), but at the end of the day, I have to mentally make sure everyone has been fed at least one meal. Seems like a lot of food responsibility.

Jack started lacrosse yesterday. He's really excited if not really coordinated. It was *fun* to round up a gaggle of gear for a sport that I know NOTHING about. The equipment list included male protection gear. Yup, I got to purchase my son his first cup.

Thanks to some wonderful friends we got to go to this season's first Air Force Academy football game. It is so much fun - jets, skydivers, cheerleaders, bounce houses, catered buffet (for those of us with access to the Blue & Silver club), ice cream, marching band... oh, and some football! I hope we find time to go to another game this season.

Matt and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on Labor Day. Actually, we celebrated on Sunday with friends that also got married Labor Day weekend. The girls had a little spa morning - got my toes painted Just Spotted The Lizard green from the OPI Spiderman collection. Both kids think it is fabulous, but green-gold toenails are not really me. Although I should probably get used to it since I probably won't get around to another pedicure until spring! The adults officially celebrated together that night with a lovely dinner at Relish.

My sister is in Colorado for 2 whole weeks. Looking forward to our time together. Love watching Kate follow Tia around alternating acting like a lovesick puppy and like a too cool sidekick.

Kids started back to their one day a week homeschool program. That day was so busy for us, that we left the house at 8am and didn't return until after 8pm. Feel like I'm still recovering from that.

Went apple picking with my sister today. It was too hot for apple picking.

I think there was more I wanted to say, and I wanted to add some photos. But bedtime has arrived!